Russian ships leave zone off Ireland’s west coast

Russian vessels that were spotted on the west coast earlier this week have now left Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Defence Forces said on Sunday.

The three ships – the Umka, the Bakhtemir and the Fortuna – caused alarm among defence officials earlier this month when they were spotted engaging in unusual manoeuvrers off the Co Galway coast in the vicinity of a new subsea communications cable.

It is understood that the vessels were equipped with technology capable of interfering with subsea cables.

The Defence Forces deployed ships and aircraft to keep track of the vessels, which later turned south and appeared to resume their originally charted journey to the port of Malabo in Equatorial Guinea on the west coast of Africa.

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Former minister for foreign affairs Charlie Flanagan TD called on Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin to summon the Russian ambassador to explain “the suspicious activities of Russian ships” off the Irish coast.

Following analysis, Defence Forces officials determined the ships were likely trying to avoid bad weather by doubling back.

However, on Thursday night, just before leaving the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the ships turned around again and began sailing back up the west coast, causing further confusion about their intentions.

Defence sources said at one point one of the ships came within a couple of miles of Irish territorial waters which extend out to 12 nautical miles from the coast.

In a statement this afternoon, the Defence Forces said it monitored Russian commercial ships outside and inside Ireland’s EEZ.

“As part of their Maritime, Defence and Security Operations (MDSO), the Irish Air Corps Maritime Patrol Aircraft have observed Russian commercial vessels in international waters off the island of Ireland,” it said.

[ Russian ships return to Ireland’s west coast despite appearing to depart for Africa ]

“These vessels have now left Ireland’s EEZ. The Irish Air Corps and the Irish Naval Service continue to monitor activity in Irish waters and to undertake Maritime Defence and Security Operations (MDSO) throughout Ireland’s maritime domain.”

EU countries, including Ireland, have stepped up surveillance of vital subsea infrastructure since the explosions that disabled the Nord Stream pipelines last year. The culprits have not been identified, although the US, Russia and Ukrainian groups have all been accused of being behind the attack.